Hear Me
by ellesxjadore
Summary: In a terrible twist of events, Bridge and Z are taken hostage by a notorious alien warlord. As they struggle through torture and excruciating agony, they begin to wonder whether they’ll survive, and if so, will their friendship ever be the same again?
1. Together Forever

_Howdy there! Welcome to my new fic. I had this idea last night while drifting off to sleep and I thought 'wow, that'd make a great fic!' In my mind I was forming sentences and what would happen, so I'm sharing my thoughts with you! _

_This fic is **PG-13 **for a good reason. It will contain gratuitous violence and possible bad language and sexual themes. You've been warned._

_It's set after Endings Part II, so Bridge will be the BLUE ranger and Sky the RED ranger._

_Don't forget to review!_

_---_

"**Hear Me"**

**Chapter 1 – 'Together Forever'**

Some time after the fall of Emperor Gruumm and Jack Landors' resignation from Space Patrol Delta, Commander Cruger was analysing a video transmission with Kat Manx. Anubis rubbed his eyes slightly. It was late, gone midnight, and the video quality wasn't fantastic. Kat was tapping keys into the computer, trying to decipher the code built into the transmission. Whoever sent it didn't want it falling into the wrong hands.

Finally, after fifteen silent minutes and the video repeating several times, Kat cracked the code. She hit the return key and the message began to play in English.

"Commander Cruger, I am Lieutenant Holmes. I have a request for you from KO-35 satellite prison," stated the odd looking alien on screen. "I'd like you to come and pick up detainee number 23876, better known as Tyrannotron."

An image of a dinosaur-like alien appeared on screen. He looked rather vicious.

"We caught him a few years back for murder, rape and GBH. He was once part of a well-known criminal plot to take over Earth some years back, but we managed to foil it before anything drastic happened. Unfortunately, we only caught Tyrannotron; the others escaped.

"Word has reached us that his criminal friends intend to bust him out, so we've made the consecutive decision to move him to a safer and more secure unit. We would much appreciate it, as SPD certainly fits that description. It would be done in secret, so to not endanger Earth. Besides, it's the last place anyone would think to look for him.

"We await your reply, Commander. Thank you for your time. Oh, and please destroy this video after viewing it. Remember, this is to be done in secret."

The transmission crackled and faded.

"Shall I destroy it, Doggie?" asked Kat.

"Yes, we better had."

Kat pressed a few keys and the video was erased.

"Come, we'll record a reply. Make sure to encode it."

The feline nodded. A few moments later she gave Doggie the conformation to begin recording. Cruger straightened up and cleared his throat.

"Lieutenant Holmes, I am Commander Cruger of SPD on Earth. I received your transmission moments ago, and I'd be happy to send some of my cadets to collect the detainee. I'll have them leave by tomorrow evening at the latest. This message is encoded; please destroy it after receiving it."

Kat finished the recording and encoded it. After doing so, she sent it.

"So, who're we going to send? C-Squad are busy working on that undercover operation, and I'm afraid D-Squad just aren't experienced for this, especially if anything goes wrong."

"I agree, Kat, but let's not dwell on this right now. Besides, no-one will be up at this time of night. Come, we'll get some beauty sleep."

---

Doggie Cruger is rarely ever wrong, but this is an exception. There were, in fact, two cadets still awake, and they were both in the cadets' recreation room. The lights were off, though there was a long ray of moonlight trailing in through the window. They were sprawled on separate sofas, having a midnight chat.

"Seriously, though, Syd was fantastic yesterday!" exclaimed Bridge, laughing. "She kicked that alien's butt!"

"Do you think Sky will ever admit to his feelings for Syd?" wondered Z aloud. They were both talking in hushed tones, as to not cause any suspicion.

The blue ranger took a deep breath. "You know, I'm really not sure. Sky keeps all his feelings to himself. I never know when to take him seriously. Unless of course, he gives me _the look_."

Z leant forward, mockingly intrigued. "What _look_?"

Bridge gathered his comforter that was wrapped around him and made his way over to Z's sofa. He slumped down beside her and turned to face her. Their faces were inches apart.

"_This _look."

Bridge lowered his eyebrows dramatically, pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. Z burst into silent giggles, as did Bridge.

"That was great!" she whispered. "You could give Sky a run for his money!"

Bridge faked a hurt look. "I thought you always said I was good at acting. That I was special."

In all seriousness, Z said, "You are special, to me if no-one else. You're my best friend."

Bridge opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again after thinking better of what he was going to say.

"What?" persisted Z, grinning at her friend's reluctance.

Bridge bit his bottom lip. "Did you ever think that I was a…replacement for Jack?" he could tell by the way the yellow ranger looked at him that she was having trouble answering.

"Oh, Bridge," she sighed, "I suppose I always thought I'd be lost without Jack, that the energy in my life would disappear."

"Oh…" Bridge trailed off. He looked away. Why did he have to ask?

Z reached out and took gently cupped his cheek with her hand, and turned him back to face her.

"But, you, Carson, are the best friend I've ever had. Jack's my brother. You're my best buddy, and that's never going to change, no matter what happens."

Bridge felt his heart melt at her sincere words.

"Ditto, Z." He leant forwards and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a warm hug. When they broke apart, Bridge placed a kiss on Z's forehead.

Z suddenly held out her little finger. "Let's pinky swear; together forever, no matter what."

Bridge followed suit. "Together forever, no matter what."


	2. Last Goodbyes

_Okay, okay, so I'm trying to lead you all into a false sense of security, but please bear with me. I was going to throw Bridge and Z straight in at the deep end, but I decided against it. Please forgive me. I'm going to put them through hell, and they may not even make it back…Oops! I've said too much!_

_To your fantabulous reviews, all I can say is all will be revealed in due course. Just keep reading and reviewing, and you shan't be disappointed (hopefully!)._

---

"**Hear Me"**

**Chapter 2 – 'Last Goodbyes'**

The next morning, Sky walked into the recreation room to find a rather peculiar sight.

Z was lying on top of Bridge, and Bridge was on the floor. Z was snoring, and Bridge was drooling slightly. Their respective coloured comforters were over them. Sky grinned to himself. There was never an odder pair of friends.

Sky snapped into red ranger mode almost instantly.

"Atten-tion!" he bellowed, causing the two sleeping rangers to suddenly awake. Bridge took a deep breath and yawned loudly, while Z stretched her arms high into the air. They both became wide-eyed once they noticed Sky not looking too impressed on the other side of the room.

"Would one of you like to explain why you broke SPD regulations and didn't sleep in separate quarters last night?"

Z and Bridge exchanged nervous glances, but they were relived when Sky's stern face broke into a smile.

"You sly old dog, Bridge!" he exclaimed jokingly. "How long has this been going on?"

Z blushed and the look on Bridge's face clouded slightly. "That's not funny, Sky. Z and I are friends."

Sky raised an eyebrow. "Alright buddy, chill. I was just messing with you. I'm sorry."

Bridge shrugged it off, though Z could tell it was still bothering him. "Don't worry about it." Bridge opened his mouth wide as he failed to stifle another yawn.

"We'd better get you two washed and dressed before there's some kind of emergency…"

No sooner had he said it, the alarms began to ring. Bridge and Z groaned in unison. Syd came rushing into the room, fully dressed. She fought the urge to laugh upon seeing the blue and yellow rangers still in their pyjamas.

"SPD Emergency!" they called in unison.

---

Another thirty successive minutes later, the four rangers traipsed back into Delta Command to with the detainee in card confinement and Cruger and Kat waiting for them.

"Good morning, cadets," said Cruger. "I won't dally on these formalities. Let's just cut to the chase.

"We need at two of you to collect this criminal from KO-35's satellite prison."

As he spoke, the image of Tyrannotron appeared on the hologram in the centre of the room.

"He was captured not long ago for murder, rape and Grievous Bodily Harm, so whoever goes must tread cautiously. Any volunteers?"

"Sir," spoke up Syd, "I'm due for family leave from tomorrow; it's my mom's birthday."

"Ah, yes, of course," remembered Cruger. "That rules you out." He sighed deeply.

"Come on, Bridge, why don't we go," cut in Z enthusiastically. "Besides, Sky's been moaning about that report he'd wanted to finish for days."

The red ranger shot her a disapproving look, but his expression softened when he realised they were doing him a favour.

"Are you up for the mission, Cadet Carson?" asked Anubis wearily.

"Yes, sir, I'm up for anything…" He finished his sentence with another yawn, causing Doggie to raise an eyebrow.

Kat stepped forward. "Great, I'll have your craft ready by lunch time. Make sure you're both packed and ready."

The four cadets saluted to the commander and left the room. As soon as they were out of earshot, Sky pulled Bridge to one side and Z and Syd continued to their quarters.

"Listen, Bridge, I know I was out of order earlier," he began in a low voice, "but I can't help but notice that you…" he trailed off, not quite knowing how to put it to words.

"I what?" persisted Bridge. "What is it?"

Sky sighed. "You like Z," he said simply.

His friend frowned. "Of course I do. We're best friends."

"No, no, that's not what I mean!" said Sky impatiently. "You like her as more than a friend..." he paused. "You're in love with her."

As the red ranger predicted, Bridge looked downwards, unable to look his companion in the eye. After a few moments, Bridge looked up with an uneasy smile.

"Don't be ridiculous," he said in a strained voice. "That's completely and utterly…"

"True," cut in Sky. "It's true, and you know it. Everyone sees it."

"You think Z does?" stuttered Bridge. "I mean, that could prove slightly awkward…"

"Bridge, tell her! This mission will be the perfect opportunity for you to tell her how you feel."

The blue ranger suddenly looked nervous. "But…but what if she doesn't feel the same?" he murmured sadly, his gaze downcast.

"There's no harm in trying, is there?" Sky said with sincerity.

He looked up. "I suppose not…"

---

Syd and Z reached their room, half pink and pristine, half yellow and disorganised. Z slumped on her bed, exhausted.

"Didn't get much sleep last night, huh?" grinned her roommate while applying lip gloss to her pouty lips.

Z groaned loudly. "Oh, ha, ha," she said sarcastically.

"Did anything happen?" squealed Syd in excitement. "I know you like him."

Z sat up immediately.

"Okay, Syd, let's get one thing straight: I do not, I repeat, do not have a thing for Bridge," she said sternly, looking Syd straight in the eye.

Syd chuckled. "Yeah, we all know that's not true, including you."

"It _is_ true!"

"Yeah, if it's true _I'm_ a complete ugly slob, and _that's_ saying something," grimaced Syd knowingly. "Stop lying to yourself, girl, and admit it! You two have so much chemistry! Come on! Bridge _adores_ you!"

Z paused, not quite knowing what to say. "You think he likes me?"

"Girl, I _know_ he likes you!" she exclaimed.

That gave Z some thinking to do…

---

Three hours later, Bridge and Z packed their bags onto their craft and prepared the craft for take off. Sky, Syd and Cruger came on board to wish them a good journey.

"Good luck, cadets, I hope your mission to be successful," said Cruger solemnly.

"Fingers crossed for you," smiled Syd and she hugged Z and winked at her, causing Z to roll her eyes. Sky pulled Bridge into a bear hug and whispered into his ear;

"Remember, Bridge."

The blue ranger nodded half-heartedly.

"We should be back within two days," said Z, checking the ETA.

Sky sighed. "Travel safe; we'll contact you regularly to make sure everything running smoothly." Syd nodded in agreement.

The three turned and exited the ship.

Bridge and Z looked at each other, and exchanged nervous, yet excited looks. They strapped themselves into their seats. Z took hold of the controls.

"Sirius5 requesting permission for take off," Bridge stated.

Kat's voice crackled in on the other end of the line. "Permission granted. Good luck, rangers."

Z fired up the craft's engine thrusters, and within seconds they were speeding into the open expanse of space.


	3. So Near, Yet So Far

**---**

"**Hear Me"**

**Chapter 3 – 'So Near, Yet So Far'**

After three successive, yet highly boring and uneventful hours, the tawny haired blue ranger let out a huge yawn and stretched his arms. He closed his eyes and began to drift off to sleep. Z chuckled as she steered the ship slightly to the left. Their ETA was roughly another six hours, and she didn't think she could stand the silence any longer. An idea triggered in the corner of her mind. Perhaps Syd was right; maybe this was a perfect time to tell him. She just had to warm up a little first.

"Hey Bridge," she began softly, "do you want to play a game? You know, just to pass the time?"

Bridge's eyes sprang open, filled with curiosity.

"What did you have in mind?" he smirked, knowing of Z's playful nature.

She paused in mock thought. "How about, 'this or that'? We haven't played that since, forever."

Bridge leant towards her and grinned. "You're on."

Z beamed. "You first."

He scratched the back of his head, racking his brains to find a suitable question. What had Sky told him? _Tell her_. Well, he didn't want to go straight into it. Finally, he found a question.

"If you had to pick one, what would it be; ice cream or cookies?"

She laughed at his innocence. "Bridge, is that the best you can do? Well, okay, I'd say ice cream; a girl's best friend." She paused as she watched Bridge's reaction. "So, would you rather swim the Atlantic Ocean or shave your legs?"

He burst about laughing. "I think I'd shave my legs, to be honest!"

Z giggled. "Your turn!"

The pair carried on playing their game for sometime into the next two hours. Bridge managed to find out that Z would rather wear pink for a day than let Jack see her naked, and Z discovered that Bridge would prefer to give Cruger a foot massage than see Sky and Syd make out. On a more personal scale, they found out that both of them were still virgins, and that neither of them had ever had a proper relationship. The two were laughing so much they forgot all sense of time, and nearly all sense of direction, were it not for the autopilot.

The yellow ranger sighed and lay back in her seat. "Okay, one more each, then we should eat; I'm ravenous."

"Deal," agreed Bridge. _One more question…what should I ask? _He thought again of what Sky said. Should he say anything? _Come on, Bridge, it can't be that difficult. We practically know everything about each other, except for romantic feelings. Okay, how should I word this?_

"Right, as a final question," he began with a nervous smirk, speaking in barely more than a whisper, "would you rather French kiss with Jack or Sky?" _Shit, I missed me out! I can't exactly go back on it now! _Z's eyes widened.

"Do I _have_ to pick one," she begged, "because in all honesty, I'm not attracted to any of them! Ew!" She made mock gagging noises and shuddered at the thought of connecting her lips with either of the two males mentioned.

_There may be hope for me yet! I'd always thought she had a thing for Sky, you know, being the popular, brooding, good-looking kind. Maybe he's not Z's type…Who knows, maybe I am!_

_Okay, _thought Z, still mentally barfing, _one last question. It can't be one that'll give anything away. I have to be subtle. I don't want to completely freak him out! God, who knew that one little question would be this hard? Why did Syd have to convince me to do this! Come on! What would Syd say… No! Don't think about that! Ew!_

Z inhaled slowly before speaking. "**Bridge, would you rather spend the night in the same bed with Syd or Kat?**"

_Well, technically speaking I wouldn't be too bothered about either of them. But I can't let her know that! I mean, Syd and I are good friends, and Kat's a sort of, well, I dunno really. But neither of them are my type. Okay, the soft and subtle approach._

"Well, I'm not attracted to either of them, but if I had to pick, it'd probably be Kat," he confessed, blushing.

Giggling, Z answered back, "Why?"

Bridge ruffled the back of his head with his hand slightly in embarrassment. "Well, put it this way, if I was in bed with Syd, I'd get a little scared." He let out a nervous laugh.

Z's eyes crinkled as she began to chuckle.

"It's not funny!" he protested indignantly. And yet, Z continued to laugh at her best friend's expense, leaving Bridge feeling a little confused.

---

After travelling through the open expanse of space for many hours, Bridge and Z finally managed to reach the KO-35 satellite prison. Exhausted and weary, they docked their craft and stepped aboard. Z shivered as she passed dark cells with strangely quiet in-mates. The place was cold and smelled of wet metal. The two were shown into an elevator which took them three floors above. Finally, they were directed to Lieutenant Holmes office.

Automatic doors slid open in front of them, and they stepped into the room.

Scaling the outside of the room was a long and wide glass panel, revealing the spectacular sights of the dark universe, lit up with twinkling stars. Z breathed out in awe.

"We really don't know what's out there, do we?" she marvelled, her eyes bright.

Bridge shook his head. "You're right, we don't."

---

Within the next hour, the two rangers met with Lieutenant Holmes, who have them custody of Tyrranotron's confinement card. Once their ship was re-fuelled, they left prison, heading into unknown danger…

---

**Author's Notes:**

**I'd just like to say a huge thank you to everyone who's reviewed so far. It's not exactly getting to feedback I was hoping for, but I'm not picky. Also, Z, thanks for your kind words. It's your review that gave me the courage to post another chapter. Oh, and I'm not all that good as a writer! LOL! **

**And also, so sorry for the very late update! Can you believe I wrote over half this chapter, then stopped (the sentence I couldn't figure out is in bold).**

**Also, my muse is somehow disappearing for this story. Someone or something needs to inspire me… And I apologise for the frankly rubbish ending for this chapter.**


	4. Disturbing Dreams

**---**

"**Hear Me"**

**Chapter 4 – 'Disturbing Dreams'**

Deep in the depths of an unknown solar system, wrapped up in clouds of dust and glittering stars, a lone ship hung in the loneliness of the dark. Gigantic and intimidating, and dirty from decades of space travel, the craft belonged to a well known villainous alien warlord, known simply as Draconian. As vile as his name sounded, the creature ruled the galaxy of Sentros with an iron fist, literally. Commonly seen dressed from head to toe in a black leather trench coat, and a tall mask adorned with sharp black spikes. Draconian was not to be messed with.

That particularly dark and dismal day in the Alpha Quadrant, Draconian could be found slumped upon his over-sized throne in the central command centre of his ship. In his hand was an orb, which was glowing a violent purple colour and emitting dangerous sparks. His long nails stroked it fondly as he gazed into its depths.

His dark, unforgiving eyes found another craft quite a while away. On it were three life forms, though one was locked in a confinement card. _Space Patrol Delta's invention, no doubt_, he mused silently. _I haven't had to deal with them since I paid that fool Gruumm to destroy Sirius for me. Argh, he failed to take over Earth as I told him too. Then again, if you want something doing, do it yourself. After all, DIY is my favourite hobby…_

Draconian studied the life forms upon the ship. One, he found, was fast asleep, mumbling to himself absently. Another, a female, was carefully navigating the ship through the stars. The final life form was locked inside the confinement card, stashed away in a cast-iron box, complete with three locks. Two biometric fingerprint locks and a password. _Not so difficult, especially after seeing what I have to deal with. Look at that imbecile snoring like a pig. It's him who should be locked up, not my faithful Tyrannotron. _

He placed the orb in the centre of a circular table near him. After pressing a few combinations of keys and buttons, a map of the Milky Way appeared. Sentros bordered the Milky Way very closely. SPD had locked all entrances to Sentros to prevent Draconian from entering. Doggie Cruger himself had done it a little less than half a century before. Only, there was one entrance that still remained, and now seemed the right time to use it. _Excellent, my ship will appear in the Milky Way a mere mile away from that craft. They won't know what hit them. _Draconian let out a small chuckle. _Those two SPD officers are in way over their heads. They didn't even see Tyrannotron activate his homing signal. Fools._

Draconian stood up and grabbed the orb from the table. "Captain Bezu!" His shouts echoed throughout the ship. Not so long later, a tall, well built humanoid with lizard like features appeared. He bowed before Draconian.

"Yes, my lord? How may I be of service to you?" His voice was slick with anticipation and hatred.

Draconian smiled, revealing two sharp fangs protruding from his mouth. "Dear cousin, set a source for the Zenta Gate. We're going on a road trip."

Captain Bezu bowed deeper. "Your wish is my command, my lord." The captain left through a door to the left, leaving Draconian to his sinister thoughts.

_I'm coming for you…_

---

_Luminous violet smoke swirled, drifting along the floor lazily. The cell was dark, and the only light was that of a red moon thousand of light years away peering in through a tiny window. The walls were damp and dirty, and the smell was sickening. He could hear the deathly screams from the next cell. _

_The door flew open, and a tall impersonating figure, shadowed by the dark, stood menacingly in the doorway, holding a limp body in his arms. It was female, her dark raven hair stained with crimson blood. The man threw the body into the cell, and left with a disturbing laugh, which hung around eerily. _

_The body sprawled on the floor didn't move. She was dead…_

From his deep slumber, Bridge awoke, startled. He was sweating quire profusely, and his hazel eyes were suddenly wide open. His heart was racing, beating loudly like a drum. He had been dreaming.

"Bridge, are you okay?" Z's inquiring voice sounded from the cockpit. "You were screaming!" Within seconds she was by his side, wiping his forehead. "Bridge! Talk to me!"

Bridge became aware of how close Z actually was to him, and gave a false cough. "Yeah, bad dream, I think." Clumsily, Bridge sat himself up, and Z took residence beside him.

"What kind of dream? Was it an ordinary dream or nightmare? Or was it a premonition?"

"The latter I think." Bridge sighed. He rubbed his eyes, trying to wipe the images of the dream from his mind. It wasn't working. He couldn't get the disturbing picture of that dead girl out of his head, and Bridge had a horrible gut feeling he knew who it was.

Z looked at Bridge directly in the eyes, concerned for her friend. "Are you okay? You seem awfully shook up by it. Was it that bad? You can tell me, you know."

No, he couldn't tell her. He'd only make her scared, and he wouldn't wish that on her.

"It's nothing, Z. Just…nothing."

"No, Bridge. I can see how it's affecting you already. Talk to me."

The blue ranger shook his head. "No, Z, honestly."

"Bridge, just tell me."

He lost his temper so quickly that he said what was on his mind before he had thought of how it might sound. It came out quite harshly. "I said no, Z!"

The atmosphere in the ship suddenly went cold. Z's brown eyes widened in shock to Bridge's sudden abruptness.

Bridge turned away from Z, ashamed of how he had acted. She got up without a word, and resumed her position in the cockpit.

_Well, that's torn it, _he though miserably.

Seconds later, the ship shook violently. Bridge was thrown from his bunk and onto the ground. He groaned as he landed on his funny bone, thinking that that would probably bruise the next day. The ship continued to rock from side to side, making it difficult for Bridge to reach Z. She was trying in vain to regain control, but it was useless. Bridge stood beside her, attempting to find his balance. They made eye contact; Z's face was lined with terror. He grabbed onto her hand and held it tightly. Nothing was going to happen to them; to her.

Before they knew it, the ship was engulfed in a bright purple light. Z's eyes rolled to the back of her head and she fell to the floor, helpless. Bridge looked around in horror, but he too collapsed, all thoughts vanished.

---

_Well hello there! I haven't seen you in a while! I am a terrible author, I apologise. My muse was simply lost. Anyway, I managed to find it again after watching Spooks and listening to Evanescence's new album. 'Tis brilliant, I advise you buy it._

_Right, I hope to update a little sooner next time. I am on half-term, so I may have more time. Also, I'd like to take this time to advertise my new site, which can be found on my profile page. _

_I'm going to be holding reviewer awards for this story, details of which can be found on my website. So, if you want to win, get reviewing!_

_Toodles for now!_


	5. Captives

_Hello there! Merry Christmas to my fellow Christians, and Happy Hanukah to any Jewish readers. Hope you'll all have a splendid day!_

_Here is my Christmas present to you. It's my favourite chapter so far, so I hope you'll enjoy it. Remember to review, especially if you're hoping for another update before New Year, and if you want an award in **Corporal Scarlett's Reviewer Awards**! Details can be found on my website. _

_Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! Happy reading! _

**---**

"**Hear Me"**

**Chapter 5 – 'Captives'**

Z felt as though her head were about to explode. Her thoughts were alight, burning intensely and painfully. All feeling was of excruciating torture, and it was closing in, hurting her more and more each second. Her eyes were clenched closed tightly, as if wishing to wake up from the nightmare she was trapped in. Her shrill screams pierced her own ears.

Breathing heavily, Z's eyes shot open, quickly taking in her surroundings. She wasn't on Sirius5 anymore.

Glancing around, she realised their ship must have been intercepted and hijacked. But who by was a mystery. This new place felt unwelcoming and eerie, the darkness hanging in the air as if someone had placed a cloak made entirely out of shadows over the room. It wasn't a very nice atmosphere. The stench was barely bearable, smelling of rot and death, and it drifted unpleasantly up Z's nostrils, causing her to wretch violently. She stopped when she heard movement behind her.

She had been lying face down on the floor, which was hard and cold. A figure with a harsh grip grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her over, so that she could see clearer. The figure was tall, dressed entirely in long red leather, with a mask covering the face. Only two slits remained for dark eyes to penetrate through. They were mysterious and proud, yet intriguing.

Z's thoughts were dragged away from the stranger's eyes when she saw he was wielding a sharp knife, a good eight inches long. The blade glinted in the malevolent light. The stranger whispered something that Z couldn't understand, before pulling her arm towards him. Using the knife, he made a slit in her arm. She gasped as a trickle of her scarlet blood fell into a glass vial the red-clad stranger was holding next her wound. He sealed it with a cork stopper. Z looked up at him pleadingly, almost begging him to understand, but he threw her back to the floor cruelly. Wincing, she dared herself to look back at the guard retreating towards the door.

There were four exits that she could see now, each flanked by two guards dressed in the same crimson attire. Z felt as though she were being guarded by Satan's soldiers. It wasn't a very encouraging thought.

Z looked at her slit arm; blood was dripping slowly from it. What did they want her blood for anyway? Who were these people? Where in the galaxy was she? Was she even still in the galaxy? Blind panic began to creep through her veins, so much so that she began to shake. Why did she volunteer for this in the first place? What if they didn't make it back alive? _Wait, _she thought suddenly, _where is Bridge? _Z felt more alone than ever, but forced herself to concentrate on finding Bridge. She was aware of the scarlet clad guards still watching her through the corners of their eyes. This wasn't going to be easy. She couldn't move due to her tight bindings. Inhaling in frustration, Z propped herself up against one of the many pillars supporting the low ceiling. From a short distance away, she heard movement and what sounded like a struggle.

Two of the guards held a figure by an arm each, dragging him into the room. The closer they came, more Z thought she recognised their prisoner. It was Bridge! He didn't look hurt in any way, but he was putting up a decent fight, attempting to shake the guards off him. It wasn't working though. His face was determined, but once he saw Z practically cowering in a corner, his suddenly looked concerned, for her mostly. If anything, Bridge began to struggle even more. The guards tightened their hold on him, but threw him to the floor. Z crawled over to him as fast as she could and helped him up.

"Bridge!" she gushed, her hair askew, "are you alright?" Her eyes ran over him, and he appeared unhurt.

"Yeah Z, I'm okay. What about you? Did they hurt you?" He seemed intense. He spotted to gnash on her arm. "What did they do to you?"

Z shook her head. "Nothing." Bridge raised his eyebrows, knowing she was lying. "Well, nothing really. One of those freaks jabbed me with a knife and took some of my blood. Did they do that to you?"

"No, but that's weird. Are they some kind of twisted scientists?"

An unknown, mysterious voice replied. "No."

Bridge and Z looked towards the source of the voice, towards the door furthest away from them. The stranger was tall, dressed in a flowing black cloak, leather of some kind. His presence was immediately recognised; the guards knelt ceremoniously as the stranger passed them. He was extremely intimating. As he reached Bridge and Z, he stopped and stared for a few moments.

"Well, well, good evening! At least, I think its evening!" he said, his voice slick with sarcasm. "What do we have here? Humans? It's been a while since I've seen one of those! You live on Earth now, am I right? I remember when humans used to rule the universe, long before your world was born." He stopped to admire the surprised look on Z's face. "Yes, my dear. Did you honestly think you were the only humans in existence? Well, there's a slight difference in the genetic make-up. You see, the humans I knew would each have a genetic mutation; a special power; a super ability."

Z heard herself gasp at this stranger's words. Bridge shifted uncomfortably, moving closer to Z.

"Enough of that; I believe I haven't introduced myself just yet. I am Draconian, lord and emperor of Sentros. I know I'm intruding here, for I was banished some time ago, but you see, something very precious to me was stolen, and I'm here to take it back." He sneered unpleasantly, his eyes lit up with a furious rage. He was about to speak again, when he was interrupted by who Z thought was the guard she had met briefly with before. He strode towards them, his crimson cloak billowing behind him. He handed Draconian a glass vial and a slip of parchment.

"My Lord, the results of the blood sample have been found as positive." He spoke with a bored, deep voice.

Draconian eyed the vial with interest. "Ah, excellent. Thank you, Murtaugh. You can have your reward later."

The guard took one swift look at his master's captives before bowing low and leaving silently. Draconian examined the parchment with no haste, and he soon began emit a low laugh from the gap in his mask where his mouth might be. He looked up, and leant in towards Z.

"It seems, my dear, that you have a special genetic ability, like I was telling you about just moments ago." His eyes glinted with anticipation. "If I take those cuffs off you, would you care to demonstrate for me?"

Terrified at the alien's tone of voice, she glanced quickly at Bridge, who shook his head in defiance. Z didn't move. Draconian signalled for a guard, who came over without any hesitation.

"Get him," he ordered, pointing at Bridge. The guard seized the blue ranger roughly and heaved him to his feet. Draconian turned to Z. "Let me make this clearer for you," he said with added venom, "show me your genetic power, or this pathetic excuse for a boy will be taught the extreme meaning of pain."

Still, Bridge was adamant, shaking his head again.

_No, I'll have to show him. Besides, what can he do to me? No, don't think about that. All I have to do is replicate, and I'll save Bridge…for now._

"Okay."

Draconian himself removed the bindings from Z's hands, and stepped back to watch.

Z shut her eyes and focussed her energy. Within seconds she felt herself being ripped apart. She'd got used to the pain over the years, and it wasn't as bad now. The only disadvantage was that she lost energy when she replicated. Feeling slightly faint, she opened her eyes again and found three clones of herself.

Draconian began to clap encouragingly, laughing quite malevolently. "Very good, my dear! Very good! Replication! Well, well that is interesting…And I suppose this buffoon has one too?" He indicated towards Bridge, who as well as looking furious, looked very apprehensive. Z nodded, knowing if this monster decided to do that blood test on Bridge, he'd find out if she lied. "Good, good. And what can you do?"

The guards released Bridge and removed his handcuffs. Rubbing his wrists, Bridge stepped forwards. "I can read auras."

"Really?" the Sentros lord exclaimed. "That seems a little out of your league, doesn't it?" Bridge held back a glare, and instead held his tongue reluctantly. "I suppose I could use someone like you. Would you like to show me? Though, I can't promise you'll get applause like this young lady."

One of the soldiers pushed Bridge forwards. He took off one of his black leather gloves.

"Do you mind if I read your aura?" he asked Z gently.

The yellow ranger suppressed a brave smile. "Sure, go ahead."

Bridge's eyes shut as he ran his hand in front of Z. Concentrating on her body energy, he opened his eyes again to see her colours. They weren't very reassuring.

"Um, her aura is a mixture of…purple…black…and…pink, I believe," Bridge attempted.

Draconian snorted. "Which means?" he persisted impatiently.

"Err, it means she's scared, lonely and…in love, I think."

_Wait! Z's in love? When did this happen? Who is she in love with? This means I have no chance! Bridge…stop thinking about this. It's not the time. We have to get out of here…_

Z's gaze was downcast, ashamed of her feelings almost.

Draconian rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Interesting. I'm sure that will play to my advantage. You there!" He called over a group of soldiers. "Take this idiot to the West Wing. I'm sure he'll feel much at home there." He sneered at Bridge and the guards took hold of his arms. Bridge took one last look at Z before he was dragged from the room. Draconian inched closer towards Z.

"Now, my dear, you'll be heading to the royal suite, which I save for very _special _guests."

Z gulped. "What's going to happen to my friend?" she asked nervously.

"Oh, he'll be fine, providing he does as he is told. Take her away."

---

_What will happen to Bridge?_

_Will Draconian get his way?_

_Will the two survive?_

_**Will you review??**_


	6. Missing

**Author's Note: **Erm, I think I owe all you readers this massive, massive apology, one of which I can't even begin to start. Hopefully the revelation at the end of this chapter will make up for it! Lame excuses include our prom thing on Friday, revision and looming exams, etc…

Much love and kisses to all those who reviewed chapter five, and yes, I'm planning on finishing this, well and truly!

**The Tate Twins**, **Cheetah Eyes**, **TaintedxRoses**, l**areinaSelena**, kitkat, **Islandgurlie12,** Flamesofthemo0n, **LuvrGrl63, Overdrive-Operative, NickMaddieBridgeZSydSky, TheBranMuffinAlchemist, Rogue SG-1, ****Elven Fire Princess-Legolette**, kitsune, **Psycho Tangerine and LttleDvl**. You all rock my stripy socks! Please continue reading!

I'd also like to take this privileged opportunity to advertise the **It's A Ranger Thing Awards **which is currently under-going voting. Please visit the site (the link is in my profile) and send me some votes! It could mean an award for one lucky author!

Without further interruption, on with the story!

---

"**Hear Me"**

**Chapter 6 – 'Missing'**

Bridge's arms throbbed painfully from the firm grips of the guards who were dragging him along a dimly lit corridor. It was eerily spooky. Bridge could hear nothing but the scraping of his boots along the metallic floor. He couldn't get a sufficient look at his surroundings, but he noticed that there were doors every few feet along the corridor. Where they lead to was another question entirely, but Bridge couldn't deny that he was intrigued, if frightened.

What scared him the most was not the fact that he himself was alone, but that Z was alone. He didn't want to believe that anything bad could happen to her while they were separated, especially when he felt so protective of her. Jack would kill him if she was hurt.

He took in the atmosphere of the room he was shoved in; dingy, dark and cold, colder than he'd ever been in his life. A guard strapped him to a hard-backed chair in front of some sort of primitive table. Another guard then struck Bridge with such force that the chair toppled over. Shocked from the soldier's outburst, Bridge cursed. Unable to nurse his fresh cheek wound, he just sat there waiting for someone to pull him up, feeling the cold from the damp floor rippling through him.

What he'd kill for a couple of slices of toast, dripping in rich, golden butter at that point in time. Bridge was famished, and his throat was so dry that any words he uttered sounded like a desperate struggle for breath. The rope which strapped him to the chair cut into his skin as he struggled to move. He'd be here for a while unless someone decided to pick him up.

After what seemed like hours of silence, Bridge felt himself being pulled off the ground. He found himself face to face with another of Draconian's crimson-clad guards. As if for effect, the guard slowly removed his mask, revealing a very human-like face.

No more than thirty human years old, the soldier glared at Bridge with very shallow, almost grey eyes. His skin was pale and ghostly, and his hair silver. He leant closer towards Bridge, his hands resting on the table. He spoke in no more than a whisper.

"You are being held on the central command ship of the Xeonic Empire." His voice was soft and very carefully accented. "My name is Filvan, Captain of the Royal Guard. You will now share with me your name."

Bridge had been trained in the proceedings of what should happen in this kind of situation. If he was to be questioned by an unknown individual, and he had suspicions of wrong-doings, Bridge had to give only his name and unique cadet identification number, and nothing further, no matter what the consequences may be.

"I am Bridge Carson, zero, six, four, eight, four."

The captain raised an eyebrow. "Care to tell me what that number means?"

Bridge remained silent. It gained him a harsh slap to the cheek. He didn't react to it, but simply gritted his teeth.

"Which organisation do you represent?" Filvan continued calmly.

"I am Bridge Carson, zero, six, four, eight, four."

Filvan's fist connected with the blue ranger's nose almost instantly. Bridge felt his warm blood trickle down his face. This guy wasn't going to give up, but Bridge knew inside that he wasn't going to hold out for much longer. His character was too weak to handle torture. He'd crack sooner or later.

"Is it true you represent Space Patrol Delta on Earth in New Tech City?"

Bridge held himself back from answering, but he knew he'd made a mistake. Filvan took his silence as conformation.

"What part do you play within SPD? A cadet? A scientist?"

No answer.

Filvan's head snapped to the side, addressing another guard. "Untie him from here, and then chain him below. We'll visit him again later." He made to leave, but turned back and hit Bridge with such force that he fell again, this time harder, his head connecting roughly with the stone ground.

As the captain left, Bridge drew in a nervous breath. If this was for starters, who knew what may happen next?

_God, Z, I hope you're okay…_

---

Back on Earth, Kat was working late into the night in her laboratory, attempting to make contact with Bridge and Z. They were due to arrive back tomorrow, but they'd not heard anything from them since they left KO-35's satellite prison. She was certain there was a problem with SPD's long-range transmitter, and Boom had been working on it all day. Finally, after hours of dedicated work, he'd finished.

Kat and Boom had not wanted to worry the other rangers too early, as there was a good chance the transmitter had been broken after all. Now was the moment of truth.

"Boom, are we ready?" Kat asked her assistant eagerly, her eyes strained and tired.

Boom nodded. "Yep; let's give this a shot."

Kat tapped the security code into the mainframe computer and pulled the microphone towards her.

"Sirus5, this is Kat Manx from SPD HQ. Do you read me? Come in, Sirius5… Cadet Carson, can you hear me? Cadet Delgado, please respond… is anyone there?"

Boom's gaze fell. This wasn't good news. He'd tested the transmitter by communicating with KO-35 just minutes ago.

Suddenly, a loud static sound erupted from the speakers. Kat opened her mouth to speak, but Boom cut her off.

"Don't say it, Kat. There's got to be another explanation."

The feline shook her head sadly. "I'm afraid there isn't, Boom. We designed the long-range transmitters on the ships to work in even the most extreme conditions. There's only one possible answer; Sirus5 no longer exists…"

Boom considered the option for a moment, and then burst out; "No! That can't be right! Bridge and Z are too well trained! Let's try their morphers! Surely we can establish some sort of connection?"

"The morphers' communication devices aren't designed to work over such a wide distance," Kat replied, eagerly wishing she could console her friend.

"Can't we try tracking them?"

Kat bit her lip. "I suppose it's worth a shot, but if there is a signature it'll be very faint."

Boom leapt towards the computer and flipped some switches in one swift movement. A radar map appeared on screen, stretching from one side of the solar system to the other. Two dots, one red and one pink, began to flash simultaneously. Kat hung her head.

"Nothing…"

"Kat, they can't be gone! We have to keep searching! Bridge and Z can't just have disappeared!"

"What's this about Bridge and Z?" came a tired voice from the door. Kat and Boom spun around to find Syd rubbing her eyes and clutching her elephant, Peanuts. The scientists exchanged nervous glances and Syd came further into the room. "When are they due back? The SPD ball is in two days time; I need to ask Z what she thinks of my…"

Her voice trailed off as she caught sight of the screen. The blue and yellow tracking signatures were missing. Her blue eyes widened.

"Dr Manx, Boom, what's going on with that map?" Syd asked in a shaky voice. "I think it's broken; Bridge and Z aren't on it…"

Kat wrapped a comforting arm around Syd's shoulder as she stared at the map. "There's nothing wrong with it Syd. We don't know what's happened. We haven't been in contact with the others for two days. They're due to arrive tomorrow, but I wouldn't hold out much hope…"

Syd immediately began sobbing at Kat's words. She hugged Peanuts even closer.

"But what…what does that me-ean?" she choked through her tears. "Are they just lost, or have they been abducted or are they dea…"

"We've no reason to believe that Bridge and Z are dead," came Cruger's firm, assertive voice as he strode into the room with a very sleepy Sky at his side.

"What's going on?" inquired the red ranger, clearly irritated at being disturbed from his sleep. His eyes fell on Syd crying and his expression softened. "Commander, what's happened?"

Cruger faced the others. "Cadets Carson and Delgado have disappeared off our radar system. We have no idea what's happened to them, but we can only hope they're still alive."

Sky attempted to speak, but found he couldn't. He shook his head, not wanting to accept it.

"I'm declaring Bridge and Z as missing in action. We'll be sending out a search and rescue team first thing tomorrow morning. Right now I can only suggest that we all get some sleep."

Kat and Boom reluctantly began to move, but Sky and Syd kept staring at the screen.

Cruger turned to leave, but spoke again. "Cadet Tate, Cadet Drew that includes you."

As the others left, Sky pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Syd, who blew her nose loudly on it. She managed a brave smile.

"It'll be okay, you know. They'll turn up eventually," she said, attempting to console her stunned team mate.

Sky grinded his teeth in frustration, and then angrily punched his fist into the nearest wall. He pulled away, nursing his now bleeding knuckles.

Syd blanched in shock. "Sky, don't worry, at least not until we find more information."

"You don't get it Syd. Bridge has been my best friend since I was twelve. The thought of not seeing him again is just too much…" Sky looked on the verge of tears.

"I know. I can't believe Bridgey might not come back. Or Z. She was the first girl friend I've had here at the academy."

Sky sat down and massaged his wounded hand. "The thing is, Syd, when Jack left he asked me to promise him something, and I've honoured that promise up until now…"

"What was it?" Syd persisted.

The red ranger struggled to find the right words. "He made me swear to watch over Z, as she'd never been apart from him since they met when they were younger. I can't believe I've let him down…"

Syd kissed Sky's cheek comfortingly and gripped his unwounded hand tightly. "Listen, I'm sure Jack will understand. That's a point, actually; we should let him know. He may want to help with the search. But Sky, there's no point beating yourself up over this."

"No, you don't understand!" Sky burst out, exasperated. Syd looked taken aback.

"Tell me," she urged gently.

Sky closed his eyes as he whispered; "I think I'm in love with Z…"

---

(_Laughs evilly_)

Want to know what happens next? You know what to do… (_grins_) Let me know what you think!


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